Chewbacchus Krewe Brings Sci-Fi to Mardi Gras

A new Mardi Gras parade group named after Chewbacca will give sci-fi fans a chance to break out their favorite intergalactic costumes.

“The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus is New Orleans’ first sci-fi-themed Mardi Gras parade organization,” says spokesman Ryan Ballard in the NOLA.com video at right, which shows group members dressed in Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica garb at a fashion show.

With its slogan — “Saving the galaxy one drunken nerd at a time” — the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus looks to spike the annual New Orleans boozefest with a geeky shot of Comic-Con International.

“It was a way to sort of open up Mardi Gras to people who are experienced revelers,” says Ballard, dressed in a blinking Tron-like suit. “To people who have either an outer nerd or an inner geek, so they could bring together all these different worlds and create something new and fun.”